terrible trailer sway

Nu searay owner

New Member
Mar 16, 2020
1
Boat Info
2015 SeaRay 190 Spx with 150hp mercy outboard.Raymarine Navionics.
Engines
150 hp merc outboard
we have a 19' searay with a 150hp outboard on a duel axle trailer with surge brakes and a break away tongue. trailer sway is a terrible issue. we currently have 10% of gvw on the tongue, about 350lbs. I was looking into the Reese friction type anti sway system, but i can't figure out how it would attach to the trailer. We are new to this boating game and seeking some advice. Anyone out there have a similar issue,and was able to solve this problem?
Thanks for your thoughts and time.
NuSeaRay Owners
IMG_3230.JPG
 
I don't know what trailer manufacturer that is, but it doesn't appear to be the one that would have came with the boat from Sea Ray. It's not a problem - but the only reason I bring it up is that we can question the trailer specs (carrying capacity) and how it's setup for your boat. Let's see a full profile picture.

Where did you measure the 350lbs? Did you measure it under the tongue jack or under the (correct spot) coupler? 350lbs is actually plenty for tongue weight on that boat, if it's been measure under the coupler. Boat trailers only need to be 5% to 7% of total weight.

Does the same sway happen with another vehicle?
 
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I agree with Lazy Daze, 5-7% weight on a tandem axle trailer should be just fine. Are you pretty sure about the total weight of the boat, motor and trailer, and some gas and gear?
 
we have a 19' searay with a 150hp outboard on a duel axle trailer with surge brakes and a break away tongue. trailer sway is a terrible issue. we currently have 10% of gvw on the tongue, about 350lbs. I was looking into the Reese friction type anti sway system, but i can't figure out how it would attach to the trailer. We are new to this boating game and seeking some advice. Anyone out there have a similar issue,and was able to solve this problem?
Thanks for your thoughts and time.
NuSeaRay OwnersView attachment 80903

Greetings

You should have 20% weight on the tongue but even more important than that you need an equalizer hitch. You can not possibly know how much difference that makes I suggest the "Equalizer" brand. I have been using since 1968. This hitch system does not need an add on sway control system.

hpcrank
 
Both too much and not enough tongue weight will cause handling issues. If the trailer is right for the boat and the load is within the limits of the truck, I do not see a need for a weight distribution apparatus.
 
Greetings

You should have 20% weight on the tongue but even more important than that you need an equalizer hitch. You can not possibly know how much difference that makes I suggest the "Equalizer" brand. I have been using since 1968. This hitch system does not need an add on sway control system.

hpcrank
HP, see above - 5% to 7% is the correct recommendation. 20% is way, WAY too much. And, while it can never hurt, this boat is too small to even start to think about any type of equalizer system.
 
What are you using as a tow vehicle?
I don't know what trailer manufacturer that is, but it doesn't appear to be the one that would have came with the boat from Sea Ray. It's not a problem - but the only reason I bring it up is that we can question the trailer specs (carrying capacity) and how it's setup for your boat. Let's see a full profile picture.

Where did you measure the 350lbs? Did you measure it under the tongue jack or under the (correct spot) coupler? 350lbs is actually plenty for tongue weight on that boat, if it's been measure under the coupler. Boat trailers only need to be 5% to 7% of total weight.

Does the same sway happen with another vehicle?
Hopefully he is in the processes of answering your questions.

Nu searay owner
New Member, 62

Nu sea ray owner was last seen:
Viewing thread terrible trailer sway, Today at 6:43 PM

Then you guys will be able to put him on the right track.
My first question would also be, what is the tow vehicle?
 
20% is way too high. For my comfort with a boat I look for about 10%. I weighed mine on the scales last fall and was at 9% IIRC and mine tows great both with my old 2013 1500 and my 2018 2500.

What is your tow vehicle? The trailer should sit almost level, maybe slightly nose down but not much. You don't want the front of the trailer higher than the rear. And agreed, equalizer hitch not needed on this trailer.
 
I have a 19SPXOB that came with the factory supplied single axle galvanized trailer and the boat trailered horribly with a lot of sway. I towed it with my 2014 Tundra with trailer package that was rated to tow 10,000lbs so the truck was more than enough handle the boat. After some research I Think the issue is the trailer was spec’d for the I/O model 19SPX which the engine weight more and is at least 4ft further fwd than my OB. I wouldn’t tow it above 55mph otherwise it was dangerous. I had to cut off the spring hangers and add u-bolt mounted spring hangers and moved the axle back about 1ft and now it trailers like a dream. Just because it came with it from the factory doesn’t mean it is correctly set up for your boat.
 
I have a 19SPXOB that came with the factory supplied single axle galvanized trailer and the boat trailered horribly with a lot of sway. I towed it with my 2014 Tundra with trailer package that was rated to tow 10,000lbs so the truck was more than enough handle the boat. After some research I Think the issue is the trailer was spec’d for the I/O model 19SPX which the engine weight more and is at least 4ft further fwd than my OB. I wouldn’t tow it above 55mph otherwise it was dangerous. I had to cut off the spring hangers and add u-bolt mounted spring hangers and moved the axle back about 1ft and now it trailers like a dream. Just because it came with it from the factory doesn’t mean it is correctly set up for your boat.
Of course, there can always be mistakes. But this would be the exception, rather than the rule. I've literally had contact with 1,000's of "Sea Ray" supplied trailers and while I may be forgetting about an isolated incident, I can't recall any issues like you had. There's another possibility here... while you may have ordered "boat/motor/trailer", the selling dealer may have had a trailer already in their inventory so they ordered "boat/motor" from Sea Ray and put their in-stock trailer under it - not realizing it was the wrong one.

However, all of this talk about a "Sea Ray" trailer really doesn't matter to the OP. The OP has a "non-Sea Ray" trailer. What's more important is finding out exactly how he measured tongue weight, the truck being used and then possibly adjusting the trailer to fit better.

But... the trailer in question here appears to have a fully welded frame (which means the axle(s) aren't easily adjustable). The winch stand also appears to be welded... but that could be cut off and a new one bolted on.

In the end, if the trailer is the issue, it might be best to have the selling dealer "make it right". Which, truth be told, they should have been contacted immediately upon finding out that the trailer swaying.
 
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Of course, there can always be mistakes. But this would be the exception, rather than the rule. I've literally had contact with 1,000's of "Sea Ray" supplied trailers and while I may be forgetting about an isolated incident, I can't recall any issues like you had. There's another possibility here... while you may have ordered "boat/motor/trailer", the selling dealer may have had a trailer already in their inventory so they ordered "boat/motor" from Sea Ray and put their in-stock trailer under it - not realizing it was the wrong one.

However, all of this talk about a "Sea Ray" trailer really doesn't matter to the OP. The OP has a "non-Sea Ray" trailer. What's more important is finding out exactly how he measured tongue weight, the truck being used and then possibly adjusting the trailer to fit better.
All good points. I missed that the trailer was not a Searay branded trailer. In my situation I was trying to get the dealer to swap it out with the correct trailer because it was brand new but they kept telling me it was the right one From Searay so I did verify with Searay corporate (not the dealer I bought it from) that the trailer I had was the one that they spec’d for the boat and it was. I didn’t have room to move the boat forward to distribute the weight better and Thats why I ended up cutting up a brand new trailer to get the tongue weight correct and ultimately to get it to trailer well.
 
10% +- a couple of points is within the correct range and if the tongue weight is “there” then something else is suspect.
It was stated the tongue weight is estimated at 10% and my question is was the measurement taken at coupled height. In other words, if the measurement was taken on level ground with the trailer also in a “level state” then to couple the trailer the tongue is raised a few inches to couple the tongue weight would be significantly less.
While there may be other conditions causing your sway such as weight distribution side to side, trailer axle alignment, etc. verify the tongue weight in the coupled position.
 
HP, see above - 5% to 7% is the correct recommendation. 20% is way, WAY too much. And, while it can never hurt, this boat is too small to even start to think about any type of equalizer system.

Way better too heavy than too light. The principal of how an equalizer hitch arrangement works is that it puts approx. 40% of the tongue load on the tow vehicle. That 40% is distributed on the vehicles two axles approx. 60% on the rear axle and 40% on the front axle. This means that the tongue weight that the toe vehicle sees is only 40% of the off hitch trailer tongue weight (ie. 40% of the previously mentioned 20%).

Years ago Equalizer brand hitch had an advertisement video showing a Caddy Eldirado (front wheel drive) pulling a 20 ft. Airstream with their hitch. They had removed the rear wheels of the Caddy and proceeded to run the rig thru a slalom course.

V.R.
Hpcrank :cool:
 
I would recommend we get more facts and photos from the OP before making specific recommendations.

There have been several questions about the tow vehicle, total boat weight, trailer specs, and the position of the boat on the trailer. Critical information.

Nu Sea Ray, can you answer the questions listed then post full length photos of the tow vehicle - boat combination? Also the boat sitting on the trailer from the side?

I am very sure the knowledgeable and very experienced crew on this forum can help you if you give them enough information.
 

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